Love mobile
A Love Mobile ( German Love Mobile ) is at Techno parades a truck , playing music and dancing on the people, similar to a car that mitfährt in a carnival procession. In the English-speaking world, the term float is mainly used.
Origin of the term
The term Love-Mobile was first used in 1990 by Loveparade founder Matthias Roeingh ( artist name Dr. Motte) for the trucks of the first Love Parade in Berlin. Since the Berlin Love Parade was considered a model for techno parades, the term was also adopted by other parades for moving, mobile dance floors.
Elements and structure
A love mobile consists of a dance floor for 20–50 or more people, which is set up on the flat bed of the truck, and a powerful music system (usually 30,000–150,000 watts; the rule of thumb is: one kilowatt of music output per square meter). The effects common in discos and clubs such as smoke machines , stroboscopes , scanners (colored effect lamps ) or, more recently, foam cannons are also often used on love mobiles . Love mobiles are usually lavishly decorated and often provided with large-format banners that advertise a club, DJ or rave party (commercial product advertising, however, is prohibited at many parades). The colors and the type of decoration as well as the dancers' outfit (“ dress code ”) are mostly based on a motto and design concept that was established several months before the event. The technical equipment as well as the decorative material are hung or attached to trusses. In the early days of the techno parades, the love mobiles were still quite rudimentary, but in recent years there has been a trend towards larger, more elaborate, fancier and louder mobiles.
access
In order to be allowed to ride on a truck, you usually need an entry on the guest list or a so-called "Lovemobile Pass". Ordinary parade visitors are only allowed access to the dance floor in rare cases (this is usually against payment). Usually only those who have VIP status in the scene, come from the operator's environment or are among the circle of friends and acquaintances of a performing DJ are put on the guest list . Regionally or even nationally known celebrities and press representatives are usually welcome guests on a Lovemobile, as they help the Lovemobile operator to increase media presence. Some Lovemobile operators have recently started selling Lovemobile spaces. A Lovemobile place costs between around fifty to several hundred euros.
operator
Love mobiles are mostly operated by well-known clubs and party organizers. Often the operators are also record labels or DJs and producers who are respected in the scene . More and more often companies try to gain media presence by operating a love mobile, even if they are only active remotely from the techno scene.